Head mounted display system

• US 7,595,933 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2006
• Issued: 09/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Tang, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrington; Alicia M
• Application Number:
  US11/595,290
• Publication Number:
  US 20080088937A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,055 Days
• Field of Search: 359630-634, 345 7- 9
• US Class Current: 359/630
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0112 comprising device for genereting colour display
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0132 comprising binocular systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features

Abstract

A head mounted display system is disclosed. The head mounted display system includes a remote laser light engine that generates laser light associated with a display signal. The head mounted display system additionally includes a head mounted display apparatus that is separated from the laser light engine and comprising a display unit that displays laser images. The head mounted display system further includes an imaging device coupled between the remote laser light engine and the head mounted display apparatus. The imaging device creates laser images from the laser light transmitted through an optical cable in accordance with the display signal. The laser images are delivered to the display unit in order to create display images that can be viewed by a user of the head mounted display apparatus.

Claims

1. A head mounted display (HMD) apparatus, comprising:

a frame wearable on a user'"'"'s head, and including a viewing area;

an imaging device positioned substantially in the center of the viewing area, the imaging devices being carried by the frame and configured to create dual images from light received from a light arrangement in conjunction with a display signal;

a left folded wedge display carried by the frame and positioned at the left of the viewing area, the left folded wedge display having a left expansion portion, a left display portion, and a left light receiving portion disposed at an angle from the left expansion portion, wherein the left light receiving portion is configured to receive left image of the dual images from the imaging device and to redirect the left image to the left expansion portion; and

a right folded wedge display carried by the frame and positioned at the right of the viewing area, the right folded wedge display having a right expansion portion, a right display portion, and a right light receiving portion disposed at an angle from the right expansion portion, wherein the right light receiving portion is configured to receive a right image of the dual images from the imaging device and to redirect the right image to the right expansion portion.

2. The HMD apparatus of claim 1, wherein the left and right light receiving portions are provided to decrease an angle of projection between the dual images created by the imaging device.

3. The HMD apparatus of claim 1, wherein the imaging device is physically decoupled from, and in optical communication with a light arrangement.

4. The HMD apparatus of claim 3, wherein the imaging device comprises a MEMs based imaging device comprising a plurality of micro mirrors, and the dual images comprise dual laser images created from modulated RGB laser light received from the light arrangement.

5. The HMD apparatus of claim 1, wherein the imaging device is positioned such that when the HMD apparatus is worn by a person, the imaging device is in front of and between the eyes of the person.

6. The HMD apparatus of claim 1, wherein the left folded wedge display further comprises a left optical bend component disposed between the left expansion portion and the left display portion, wherein the left optical bend component bends the image as expanded by the left expansion portion around to the left display portion.

7. The HMD apparatus of claim 6, wherein the left folded wedge display does not include a collimating lens, and the left optical bend component bends light from the left expansion portion around to the left display portion.

8. The HMD apparatus of claim 1, wherein the right folded wedge display does not include a collimating lens, and the right folded wedge display further comprises a right optical bend component disposed between the right expansion portion and the right display portion, wherein the right optical bend component bends light from the right expansion portion around to the right display portion.

9. The HMD apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein left light receiving portion is disposed at an approximately 45 degree angle from the left expansion portion.

10. The HMD apparatus of claim 1, wherein the left folded wedge display is oriented in the frame such that the left light receiving portion is towards the center of the viewing area.

11. The HMD apparatus of claim 10, wherein the left folded wedge display is oriented in the frame such that the left folded wedge display is folded around a vertical axis, and the left image propagates through the left folded wedge display substantially horizontally with respect a head or a person wearing the HMD apparatus.

12. The HMD apparatus of claim 11, wherein the right folded wedge display is oriented in the frame such that the right light receiving portion is towards the center of the viewing area.

13. The HMD apparatus of claim 12, wherein the left folded wedge display is oriented in the frame such that the left folded wedge display is folded around a vertical axis, and the left image propagates through the left folded wedge display substantially horizontally with respect a head or a person wearing the HMD apparatus.

14. The HMD apparatus of claim 10, wherein the right folded wedge display is oriented in the frame such that the right folded wedge display is folded around a vertical axis and the right image propagates through the right folded wedge display substantially horizontally with respect a head or a person wearing the HMD apparatus.

15. The HMD apparatus of claim 1, wherein the left and right wedge displays are formed from one integral piece.

16. A method of producing displayable images for a binocular near eye display system, said method comprising:

generating RGB laser light in accordance with a display signal;

creating laser images with the laser light; and

displaying the laser images at a head mounted display apparatus by passing the RGB laser light into a left light receiving portion of a left folded wedge display carried by a frame and positioned at the left of a viewing area, the left folded wedge display further having a left expansion portion, and a left display portion, wherein the left light receiving portion is disposed at an angle from the left expansion portion, and wherein the left light receiving portion is configured to redirect the RGB laser light to the left expansion portion.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

displaying the laser images at a head mounted display apparatus by passing the RGB laser light into a right light receiving portion of a right folded wedge display carried by the frame and positioned at the right of a viewing area, the right folded wedge display further having a right expansion portion, and a right display portion, wherein the right light receiving portion is disposed at an angle from the right expansion portion, and wherein the right light receiving portion is configured to redirect the RGB laser light to the right expansion portion.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the passing the RGB laser light includes using vertical and horizontal micro electro mirrors placed in series to deliver color images to the left folded wedge display by, for each pixel to be displayed, flashing a red component of an image in a first color operation, then, for each pixel to be displayed, flashing a green component of the image in a second color operation, then, for each pixel to be displayed, flashing a blue component of the image in a third color operation.

19. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein displaying the laser images includes receiving the laser images;

expanding the laser images through an optical element, displaying the expanded laser images through the optical element.

20. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the generating RGB laser light in accordance with a display signal is performed at a location separate from the head mounted display apparatus.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein creating laser images is performed at the head mounted display apparatus.

22. A head mounted display (HMD) apparatus, comprising:

a frame wearable on a user'"'"'s head, and including a viewing area;

an imaging device positioned substantially in the center of the viewing area, the imaging devices being carried by the frame and configured to create dual images from light received from a light arrangement in conjunction with a display signal;

a non-collimating left folded wedge display carried by the frame and positioned at the left of the viewing area, the left folded wedge display having a left expansion portion, a left display portion, and a left optical bend component disposed between the left expansion portion and the left display portion, wherein the left optical bend component bends light from the left expansion portion around to the left display portion; and

a non-collimating right folded wedge display carried by the frame and positioned at the right of the viewing area, the right folded wedge display having a right expansion portion, a right display portion, and a right optical bend component disposed between the right expansion portion and the right display portion, wherein the right optical bend component bends light from the right expansion portion around to the right display portion.

23. The HMD apparatus of claim 22, wherein the left folded wedge display is configured to receive a left image of the dual images at the left expansion portion and to display the left image at the left display portion.

24. The HMD apparatus of claim 23, wherein the left image is provided to the left folded wedge display directly from the imaging device without being focused by a lens.

25. The HMD apparatus of claim 22, wherein the imaging device is physically decoupled from, and in optical communication with a light arrangement.

26. The HMD apparatus of claim 25, wherein the imaging device comprises a MEMs based imaging device comprising a plurality of micro mirrors, and the dual images comprise dual laser images created from modulated RGB laser light received from the light arrangement.

27. The HMD apparatus of claim 22, wherein the imaging device is positioned such that when the HMD apparatus is worn by a person, the imaging device is in front of and between the eyes of the person.

28. The HMD apparatus of claim 22, wherein the left folded wedge display is oriented in the frame such that the left light receiving portion is towards the center of the viewing area.